#like for the past decade or so any scott appearance whether it's buddy or not is promoted via the same image of buddy smoking

[magentagalaxies]

threw together a new buddy cole doc poster design on canva tonight bc i don't really want to use the old poster for our next crowdfunding campaign and anyway do you like it?? genuinely give me any feedback you have bc i do not know graphic design i just have images and put text on em

[queenretcon]

Booster vs Michael in the Pre-Johns era

( @johnnyghoul asked me to post this so here u go)

So the name Michael Jon Carter and whether that should really still be considered Booster Gold’s name is something that comes up a fair amount. I’m currently a little over a decade through my chronological read-through of all of Booster’s appearances, and as someone who has always viewed Booster as his “real” name, I’ve been very interested in how consistently the text agrees with me.

Jurgens and Giffen & Dematteis all seem to agree that Michael is someone who lived in the 25th century, and Booster is someone who lives now. Jurgens in particular treats Michael as caterpillar and Booster as butterfly, to be cliche. There’s a line in BG v1 #6 — “For Michael Carter, the sparkling dream was extinguished.”—and that line has a lot of weight to it imo, especially when you remember that Booster consistently asks people to call him Booster in BG v1, including asking Michelle to switch to that when she comes to the past (BG v1 #16). Also, while later Jurgens writing uses ‘Michael’ more cavalierly, in his original origin, Booster is already the name he goes by most commonly in the future, and it’s what Skeets refers to him as when they’re still working together at the museum. And, most importantly, he literally gets the name ‘Booster Gold’ because, even tho he wanted to use the name ‘Goldstar,’ when asked his name, he immediately answers ‘Booster’ without thinking (BG v1 #9). Like, c’mon.

Before I move on from Jurgens, the primary person consistently shown to call him ‘Michael’ is his mother. Shel prefers ‘Mike,’ which, imo, should be considered separate from ‘Michael’ based on Booster’s relationship to both. Booster seems comfortable with Mike/Mikey in a way he isn’t with Michael. It also seems to have been what he went by as a kid in the future. Even if you were to ignore the name Booster entirely, calling him ‘Michael’ is kind of like calling Ted ‘Theodore.’ You can do it, but I’m not sure why you’d want to.

To Giffdematts, his name is Booster. They clarify it’s his legal name according to the IRS (Justice League America #38), and they treat it as such. Ted doesn’t seem to consider ‘Michael’ his name either. In JLI Annual #2, Ted acknowledges Booster needs a civilian name for convenience, but doesn’t consider Michael to be a viable option.

This issue takes place after Ted is informed of Booster’s back story and the name Michael. (This is also, adorably, the issue where Ted calls Booster the most nicknames and terms of endearment. If he doesn’t have another name, Ted’s gonna fill the void with a bunch of variants on ‘buddy’.) In the same era but not by Giffen and Dematteis, we have Len Wein writing Booster introducing himself as ‘Mike’ when trying to protect Scott’s secret identity (Mister Miracle v2 #8), and Friedman writing Ted referring to Booster as “um, Michael” when trying to protect his own secret identity (JL Quarterly #7). Not as hardline on the subject as the core JLI book, but to me they don’t contradict the central thesis of ‘his real name is Booster’ since it treats Michael as an alias used when Booster needs one. You may feel differently. 🤷‍♀️

The only time we see Giffen and Dematteis using any derivatives of ‘Michael’ (tho, to my memory, they never use the name itself) in the JLI era is Justice League America Annual #5, a mostly bad issue that I think about Literally All the Time. In it, Future Booster (er, that is, Our Booster but a decade older) is forced to return to his own time period & his old job working in the museum. Only in this time period and after being literally legally required to give up the name ‘Booster Gold’ (don’t ask) does he refer to himself as ‘Mikey.’ Generally, Giffen & Dematteis prefer Mikey over any other versions of the name; it’s what his foster daughter Rani calls him in their BG v2 run as well.

And this is all, of course, thrown out once Geoff Johns comes on. I’d like to discuss Johns relationship to Booster’s name(s) in depth, but I’m not there in my reread (stuck in ‘93 right now) and don’t want to rely only on my memory. So I’ll say that Johns, in my eyes, frequently attempts to treat Booster as a Regular Superhero, rather than one who was created to be essentially the Anti-Superman. Because of this, I think Johns frequently washes over some of the things that make Booster unique, and I believe he tries to take the average superhero’s relationship to their name (Superman to most people, Clark or Kal to those closest to him, and so on) and apply it where it just doesn’t go. In the process, I think he erases a really fascinating part of Booster’s identity and sense of self.

[youngentreprenuer-blog1]

The Coronavirus Is Showing Us Which Entrepreneurs Matter

The owners of boutiques, bike shops and stores are venturing as much as help their networks, all while thinking if they'll make it.One radiant evening from the get-go in March, I hit the boulevards of my locale, voyaging neighborhood organizations. I become hustling up gifts for the quiet sale finance raiser at my children's elementary school fair. Inside the essential two squares, I had just made sure about six prizes from big business owners.

"We will most likely consider something cool," said a lady that possessed a tattoo parlor. The old Portuguese young ladies who run the little knit keep lit up after they prompted me how their grandkids went to the school. The owner of a Colombian takeout store offered me 50 empanadas on the spot. A young entreprenuer attire dressmaker surpassed me a $a hundred present endorsement, including to the ones from the pet store, nail salon, skateboard store, record shop, French eatery and photograph confining spot. The proprietor of a Taiwanese eatery alluded to as Chop vowed to give you a gift that may be so unbelievably enticing for father and mother, it'd transform our little quiet closeout directly into an undeniable Christie's offering battle.

On the off chance that a venture transformed into claimed and worked by methods for advertisers, regardless of whether they have been accomplices or individuals or families, they almost normally gave their quickly help. Those that had been claimed by utilizing bigger associations or outside dealers almost in no way, shape or form did. The advertisers assisted on the grounds that they're people of our system. They remain here. They know the residents. They walk around the guide of my youths' staff each morning.

That universal appears to be lost at this point. Our school is shut, its play area bolted. It isn't likely that the school's honest and sale will happen. However, what concerns me greatest is the destiny of the gatherings that vowed their guide, and the advertisers in the rear of them. Many have just shut by methods for request of the specialists, which has regarded that every one "trivial" associations can be close for the predictable predetermination. Those that stay open, much the same as the eateries or coffee stores introducing takeout, are enduring to live alive. Many received't make it.

Indeed, even with the agreeable intentioned and subsidized government presents, credits and help applications focused on advertisers, the pandemic and its countermeasures will pressure monetary fiasco and closings on a great many associations that can not endure a scope of weeks with out customers.

The despondent incongruity is this is occurring at a second while, as a way of life, we have in no way, shape or form been more fixated on advertisers. We have lionized them as brave visionaries and saints over the previous decade, for driving advancements and designing the predetermination. This is the impressive, horny enterprise of Silicon Valley, driven through the sacred trinity of Jobs, Musk, and Zuckerberg; the over the top stakes speculators and merciless financial specialists of "Shark Tank"; and the super present day youthful Ivy League dropout to deliver a "problematic" fire up and land a groveling profile on the blanket of business magazines, along the edge of two or three hundred million greenbacks in task capital funding.But all the promotion round Silicon Valley start usahas clouded a more prominent upsetting reality for business visionaries, because of the reality out in our networks, most business people have been battling. In the course of recent years, the amount of Americans who're self-employed and starting organizations has fallen by utilizing half of. Look past the hatcheries of San Francisco and away from the levels at tech exhibitions, and enterprise has not been blasting. A remarkable other option.

Numerous business analysts and policymakers consider this is doubtlessly a sign of improvement. They contend that thinking about that most little associations recruit best a modest bunch of individuals, and that the vast majority of them are "way of life" associations, without an inclination to improve intensely or seek after exponential increment, a steady reduction in their numbers is incredible data. The 99 percent of organizations that fall outside of Silicon Valley's meaning of a start up are accurately futile, they contend, if not totally inefficient.

"The quality method to support productiveness is to eliminate boundaries to the substitute of little scope, difficult work top to bottom, mechanically stale mother and-pop firms with dynamic, capital-broad, age based absolutely organizations, which will in general be less and greater," composed Michael Lind and Robert Atkinson of their digital book, "Huge Is Beautiful: Debunking the Myth of Small Business." "If government is to help any little partnerships, it need to comprehension on the start u.S.That have the inclination and ability to get huge, presently not on sustaining Ashley and Justin's endeavors to open a local pizza save."The enterprise that is important," Scott Shane, a teacher on the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, said in "Is Entrepreneurship Dead?," "isn't generally the enormous area of enterprise or non-organization organizations anyway the exorbitant capacity start usawhich may be sponsored by method of refined purchasers." Creating more investment and heavenly attendant financed organizations, and less mother-and-pop retail locations, is at long last magnificent, as "a couple of more noteworthy Facebooks and Googles are likely certainly justified regardless of various garments stores on Main Street since they produce parcels more positions and financial yield."

The viewpoint that we will in general overlook while we study business people easiest as motors of occupation presentation, benefits or other quantifiable markers of financial development is that each business visionary is somebody, with expectations, objectives and feelings. Their organizations are unpredictably integrated with the material of their gatherings in a way that numbers positively can't catch young entreprenuer .

In New Orleans, women inside the Gentilly people group presently face dropping a region like Friends, a beauty parlor that trims and styles the hair of middle-age, master African-American women, alongside the city's chairman, LaToya Cantrell. Its owner, a delicate spoken woman named Tanya Blunt-Haynes, characterized Friends no longer as a subsidizing or a wellspring of profit, however as a system center. Her clients will wait for a considerable length of time, long past when their medicines are done, making up for lost time with neighborhood news with the collection of laborers or various customers, requesting in crayfish platters, or simply sitting in a seat, discreetly examining a digital book. Ms. Haynes performs smooth jazz, gospel and R&B to make a loosening up temper. In the event that an individual doesn't have the money to pay her that day, or a relative wants help with compensate for a wedding or burial service, Ms. Haynes will do the compositions for nothing out of pocket, no inquiries mentioned.

Quite a while back, while her child Jared was killed, Ms. Haynes lower back to Friends, and was held by each unmarried individual who strolled inside the entryways as she cried of their arms. "That is a momentous component: the affection for women," she exhorted me years previously, destroying on the memory. "It's presently not your grandma, anyway it appears Grandma. It's presently not your auntie, yet it would appear that your auntie. It's currently not your sister, anyway it would appear that your sister."

You see this equivalent feeling of system ascending in the advertisers' response to the pandemic. Style planners are sewing frantically wished face cover, create refineries are producing hand sanitizer, eating places right now are giving food to the destitute and remoted senior residents. Business visionaries find in which they can help their gatherings, and that they step up.

Take my mate Andrew Badali, who normally shows preschoolers music and is presently providing his singalong directions on Instagram each non-weekend day morning, without cost, so children can get a portion of bliss, and their folks can increase a valuable hour of opportunity. My companions Mike and Jaime, who own special a bike store in Toronto, are giving free tuneups to docs, attendants and crisis clinical workers so they can ably get to artistic creations. In Los Angeles, my buddy Alex Grossman is coordinating, recording and altering grouped advertisements in his living arrangement (featuring his own family) for any little business venture that desires a lift.

Now and again, the greatest chivalrous component a business visionary can do is to continue. At New York's Rockaway Beach Bakery, proprietor Tracy Obolsky in any case appears each morning, blending and extending batter, heating her well known ham, cheddar and the total bagel zest croissants (presently takeout handiest), in light of the fact that her kin need something to eat and, extra basic, somebody to talk with from a protected separation. "I sense like individuals' advisor," she educated me as of late. "We are one of the least difficult ordinary minutes left in individuals' lives. Regardless of whether it is just an egg sandwich."But the business person I consider the most is Joel Tietolman, who possesses the Jewish store Mile End in Brooklyn. Despite the fact that Joel is frantically attempting to keep his business undertaking alive and his group of laborers employed, providing takeout and transport, he is in like manner initiating a drive to offer detached food to wellbeing focus laborers round New York. Joel's mate, Dr. Sally Bogoch, an E.R. Wellbeing expert who worked on the front resist Maimonides Hospital until she changed into 38 weeks pregnant, exhorted him that the specialists, attendants, paramedics and other people who are confronting the infection head-on might appreciate some matzo ball soup and a sandwich nearly as much as covers and gloves. Up until this point, Joel has given extra than 300 food to wellness care representatives, and he intends to hold taking care of wellbeing office group of laborers as long as could be expected under the circumstances.

[placetobenation]

A new year has begun and along with it comes a new decade, but don’t say goodbye to the 2010s just yet as we here at the Place To Be Nation want to take a look back at the decade that just passed us by before we get too far into the 2020s. In this article I will be talking about everything that happened in the world of wrestling throughout the 2010s, this includes both the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the moments that made us go holy shit and the ones that just made us go WTF, so sit back and relax and get ready for what could end up being quite a lengthy article.

The First Monday of the Decade It didn’t take long for the decade to deliver a memorable moment as on the first Monday of 2010 we saw not one, but two wrestling shows battling for supremacy as for the first time since March 2001 WWE Raw faced competition from another wrestling company as TNA tried their hands at starting up another Monday Night War. In late 2009, TNA brought in Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff to see if they could turn the company around and make it a viable competitor to the WWE and one of the very first moves made by Hogan and Bischoff was to immediately move Impact to Monday nights. The January 4 show was a test run to see how well it would do against the juggernaut that was WWE Raw and if it did well enough they would be given that Monday time slot every week. Despite the January 4 show not beating Raw in the ratings they were still able to win over the Spike TV executives and were given that weekly Monday slot (which started in March), however, the company was far from ready to make such a monumental move so quickly and the creative decisions made by Hogan, Bischoff, & Vince Russo (who was writing in TNA at the time) weren’t going to get them there anytime soon. Hogan and Bischoff chose not to take full advantage of the talented roster TNA had at that time and instead brought in a lot of Hogan’s buddies from the past including The Nasty Boys, Ric Flair, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & Sean Waltman among others, but what they didn’t realize was that by 2010 wrestling fans were tired of seeing stars of the past and were more interested in TNA’s current roster. There were other decisions made by Hogan and Bischoff such as getting rid of the six-sided ring, having Abyss obsessed over Hogan’s Hall of Fame ring, trying to restart the NWO, and having AJ Styles be nothing more than a Ric Flair cosplayer that was just a slap in the face of what made TNA unique and made the fans fall in love with the promotion. Needless to say, the ratings were nowhere near high enough to compete with Raw and by May the decision was made by the network to move back to Thursdays.  TNA Wrestling wasn’t the only one making history on January 4th, 2010 as over in WWE we got the long-awaited and highly anticipated return of Bret Hart to the WWE after a 12 year absence, and if that wasn’t special enough on its own we got Bret making amends with Shawn Michaels who for the longest time he held a grudge against due to Shawn Michaels’s role in the Montreal Screwjob. While “The Hitman” was a shell of his former self due to past health problems such as having several strokes it was still heartwarming to see him finally come back to the WWE. Bret would engage in a feud with Vince McMahon that would last until WrestleMania XXVI when the two, unfortunately, had one of the worst WrestleMania matches of all time. After WrestleMania, Bret would continue to pop up throughout 2010 and would even be involved in a few more matches until he finally faded out of the spotlight with the exception of one-off appearances sprinkled in throughout the next nine years, including a second Hall of Fame induction in 2019 as part of the Hart Foundation. 

The Biggest Returns and One Big Debut of the Decade The Rock Bret Hart wouldn’t be the only big name that would return to wrestling in this decade as the following year the WWE wanted to have someone host WrestleMania XXVII and that man would not only be one of the biggest stars in WWE history but is also currently one of the biggest stars in Hollywood as we finally got the return of The Rock after a 7-year absence. The Rock would host WrestleMania, but more importantly, he would cost John Cena the WWE Championship in the main event of that show and this would lead to a match being made the following night on RAW for the following year’s WrestleMania XXVIII between these two WWE megastars which was titled “Once In A Lifetime”, this was a huge moment as never before in WWE has a match been publicly announced a year in advance. The Rock and Cena would trade jabs at each other throughout the year and would even team up at Survivor Series against the team of The Miz & R-Truth. The match itself delivered as The Rock put on a great showing despite being away from the ring for seven years and even was able to pick up the win, this wouldn’t be all we would see of The Rock in this decade, as he would return at Royal Rumble 2013 where he would end the 434-day title reign of CM Punk only to lose it to John Cena at WrestleMania XXIX.   Brock Lesnar The next big return would come the night after WrestleMania XXVIII when Brock Lesnar returned after a successful run in the UFC where he was the UFC Heavyweight Champion. Lesnar would bring a whole new feel to the show as anytime he was in the ring he brought a sense of realism and legitimacy that nobody else on the roster could provide. Lesnar’s run would be a mixed bag as most of his matches have been great but there is a handful that had a ton of hype and interest behind them but once the bell rang the match was highly disappointing. Lesnar would realign with Paul Heyman who had managed him during his first stint in the WWE back in 2002. Heyman would serve as the mouthpiece and hype man for Lesnar. Lesnar would have several high profile matches throughout 2012 & 2013 with John Cena, Triple H, & CM Punk. At WrestleMania XXX Lesnar would shock the world and make history at the same time when he became the 1 in 21-1 as he ended the WrestleMania winning streak of The Undertaker, as memorable as the moment was the match itself left a lot to be desired due to the fact that Undertaker suffered a concussion early on in the match and as expected the match never recovered after this. Lesnar and Undertaker would redeem themselves in the summer of 2015 when they had a two match series that included a Hell in a Cell match that exceeded all expectations given Undertaker’s physical condition at that time.

After conquering the streak Lesnar would then set his sites on the WWE World Heavyweight Championship as he would defeat John Cena at SummerSlam in what is likely the most high profile squash match of all time and in that match Lesnar repeatedly hit Cena with German suplexes and coined his new catchphrase of “Suplex City” and from that moment on Lesnar would heavily rely on German suplexes during his matches to the point where it affected the quality of his matches. Over the next five years, Lesnar would reign as the World Champion on Raw, however, thanks to his very lucrative contract that allows him to work a very limited amount of dates per year Raw would be void of a World Champion for the majority of the time over those five years. Lesnar would feud with Roman Reigns on and off from 2015-2018 in a feud that felt like it would never end, and for some strange reason Reigns never beat Lesnar in any of these matches despite the fact that WWE wanted Reigns to become their next big star. Lesnar is definitely a very polarizing figure in the WWE but whether you love him or hate him, the fact is that he draws interest and without him WWE’s drawing power on their bigger shows would be significantly less than it already is. 

Sting The next person I will be talking about actually made his long-awaited debut in the WWE rather than a return. At the end of Survivor Series 2014, after Triple H had Pedigreed Dolph Ziggler (who was representing Team Cena) and rolled Seth Rollins on top of him, we hear the ruffling of feathers and the sound of a crow which mean that for the first time in his 29 year career the man known as Sting would finally make his debut on a WWE show. Sting would attack Triple H and roll Ziggler on top of Rollins to give Team Cena the win, which meant the Authority was gone…well for a few months at least. This would lead to a feud between Triple H and Sting which would culminate in a match at WrestleMania 31. The match between Sting and Triple H at WrestleMania 31 was nothing but an overbooked mess that served no other purpose than for Vince and Triple H to give one last kick in the nuts to the legacy of WCW. The match was fine at first as the two veterans were having a good match that kept the fans attention, however, once Sting started getting the best of Triple H we saw DX come out and eventually when the numbers get to be too much Sting gets help from the NWO (Hogan, Hall, & Nash). The match ends with Triple H landing a sledgehammer shot on Sting as he went for the Stinger Splash.  So let’s review they took a match between two guys who actually could still go in the ring despite their age and threw in a bunch of smoke a mirrors and then on top of that the smoke and mirrors they used made no sense as the NWO would never help out Sting as he was their top rival back in WCW. It would have been so easy to find three WCW guys to run in and help Sting and then at least that part of the match would’ve made sense, but you can chalk that up to Vince not knowing or caring about anything about the history of WCW and nobody around him caring to fact check it and I’m sure Triple H didn’t care either as it got his Kliq buddies Hall and Nash on the show. If the whole NWO debacle wasn’t bad enough the fact that they had Sting immediately get to his feet after being hit by a sledgehammer just so he could shake hands with Triple H just so they could have the image of a WCW guy looking inferior to a WWE guy on their biggest show. If they were going to treat Sting this was why not just go ahead and do the Sting vs Undertaker match, then at least fans could’ve got that dream match they always wanted to see. This would not be the last we saw of Sting as he would return in late August to set up a match against WWE World Champion Seth Rollins for the Clash of Champions PPV in September, during the match Rollins would hit Sting with a buckle bomb that would end up causing Sting to have a serious neck injury that would lead to him having to retire and thus cutting his WWE career short which means we will never get to see the Sting vs Undertaker dream match. Sting would go on to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of its 2016 class. 

Goldberg The final person we are going to talk about is Goldberg would make his return in late 2016 as part of a deal with 2K Sports which is the company over WWE’s video game franchise. After months of Goldberg and Brock Lesnar exchanging words online and at media events hyping up the video game we finally got the official return of Goldberg in a WWE ring on October 17. Goldberg would accept the challenge that Lesnar’s advocate Paul Heyman laid out the week before and said that Lesnar would be next and would be last. He would also make it perfectly clear that he is doing this so that his son can see him wrestle and this would lead to him bringing his son into the ring and having some very awkward moments which included his son taking his shirt off. The match between the two behemoths would take place at Survivor Series. Goldberg would make short work of Lesnar as he would beat “The Beast” in a shocking 1:26. The night after Survivor Series Goldberg would declare his entry into the 2017 Royal Rumble as he wanted to see if he could have one last run as a champion. Goldberg would end up eliminating Lesnar in the Royal Rumble only to be eliminated himself by The Undertaker a few moments later. 

Goldberg would end up winning the Universal Championship at Fastlane 2017 from Kevin Owens after Owens was distracted by Chris Jericho who he had turned on a couple of weeks prior. At WrestleMania, we would have the final showdown between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar and this time the Universal Championship is on the line. The match would go on to be one of if not the best sub-five-minute matches of all time as it was pretty much like a WWE video game where both guys are repeatedly hitting their finishers. After seven German suplexes and an F5 Lesnar would end up beating Goldberg and winning the Universal Title in what would be Goldberg’s first clean loss in his entire career. The night after WrestleMania 33 Goldberg would bid the fans farewell while also leaving the door open for a potential match later on down the road. Goldberg would be the headline inductee into the 2018 class of the WWE Hall of Fame.  Goldberg would return once again in 2019 where he would be working for blood money as he would face The Undertaker at Super Showdown in Saudi Arabia. This dream match would end up becoming a nightmare (which is a common theme on these Suadi Arabia shows) as before he came to the ring Goldberg stupidly headbutted his door to get hyped up for the match and in doing so gave himself a concussion and this would result in Goldberg locking on an awful looking leg bar, Goldberg getting busted open after hitting the ring post, and then Goldberg almost kills Undertaker as he drops him right on his head when he goes for the Jackhammer, and to close out the match Goldberg causes both he and Taker to fall when he goes for a Tombstone. This match was so bad that both men had to have matches in the following months to repair their reputation and show they weren’t the drizzling shits like the match in Saudi showed them to be. Goldberg’s last match of the decade would be when he faced Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam in a quick Goldberg style squash match where he came out the victor. 

The Rise and Fall of Straight Edge in the 2010s The 2010s were the decade where many of the independent wrestling stars of the mid-2000s got their time to shine in the WWE. The one person who is most deserving of the praise for paving the way for all the indy stars to get a shot in the WWE would be CM Punk and although he had already been in the WWE for four years prior to the beginning of the 2010s it wasn’t until 2011 when he really rose to prominence and became the talk of the wrestling world. On June 27, 2011 Punk cut a promo which would become known as “The Pipe Bomb” where he rips into Vince McMahon and how the WWE is run, he also mentions that the WWE will be just as bad after Vince dies since Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will be running things and they are no better. Punk then goes on to say that when he wins the title he will be taking it with him as his contract will be running out that same night.  This would lead to one of the most anticipated matches in WWE history as CM Punk would take on John Cena at Money in the Bank in front of a raucous crowd in Punk’s hometown of Chicago IL. After a fantastic match Punk would win the title and held up his promise as he took the title with him, this would lead to him showing up at different places with the title and everything was going great as fans were loving the story being told, however, this would soon change.  On the episode of Raw where WWE would crown a new champion, we saw the return of CM Punk which came only one week after Money in the Bank (this was disappointing as they really could’ve stretched out the story of Punk being gone) that would lead to a rematch at SummerSlam to crown the undisputed WWE Champion. Punk would win the title at SummerSlam, but after the match, Kevin Nash would come out and attack Punk which would lead to Alberto Del Rio cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and winning the title at the end of SummerSlam. All of that hype and attention that Punk had garnered over the past two months was for nothing as it all leads to Nash returning and feuding with Triple H and a mundane title reign for Alberto Del Rio.  The WWE would put the title back on Punk in November as a bit of a consolation prize for screwing up the whole “Summer of Punk” angle, however, despite Punk being the champion he was never the main focus for the WWE as John Cena still held that spot. The highlight for Punk’s title run would be his feud with Daniel Bryan in the summer of 2012 including a great match at Over the Limit. The feud between Punk and Bryan would also involve AJ Lee in what was one of the WWE’s most entertaining love triangles as all three had great chemistry with each other. Punk would hole the title until Royal Rumble 2013 when he lost it to The Rock. Punk’s title reign would become the 6th longest WWE Title reign of all time as it would last for 434 days.  The loss to The Rock would be the beginning of Punk’s frustrations with the company that would eventually lead to him walk out of the company in January 2014. Punk would explain the reasons as to why he left in an interview done by his former best friend Colt Cabana on his Art of Wrestling podcast. Punk said that the main reason he left was due to health issues and WWE’s lack of care of those issues as he had a potentially life-threatening lump on his back that the WWE doctors ignored, he also suffered from broken ribs, bad knees, and multiple concussions. Despite Punk walking out, he wasn’t officially fired from the company until June and of all days they chose his wedding day to deliver this news. Other reasons that Punk chose to leave stem from him not getting the main event match at WrestleMania and on top of that he got paid less than the other wrestlers in the top three matches at WrestleMania XXIX. Punk would state that he would never work with WWE again and had lost his passion for wrestling. 

After leaving WWE, Punk would dabble in acting and comic book writing, but the most memorable thing from his post WWE career would be his short tenure in the UFC where he lost both of his fights in devastating fashion. Despite saying he would never come back to WWE he has put a foot in the door to a potential return as he has joined a WWE centered panel show called WWE Backstage on Fox Sports 1 where he has a role of a special contributor and analyst. While Punk’s contract is with Fox and not with WWE, the fact that he is on a WWE centered show means that a potential return to a WWE ring isn’t completely out of the question, like it had been the past five years.  The Inspirational Story of the GOAT There have been many fan favorites in pro wrestling history, but very very few of them can connect with the fans like Daniel Bryan did in the 2010s. Bryan made his WWE debut in 2010 as part of the old TV show version of NXT where the rookies all had pros and each week someone would be eliminated and while Bryan didn’t win he was the clear fan favorite of the first season. Bryan’s pro during NXT was The Miz who was envious that his rookie was a better wrestler than he was, this would turn into a long-running feud that would be on and off throughout the decade. Bryan would make his Raw debut as apart of the Nexus stable that was comprised of the entire cast of the first season of NXT. As part of the debut, the Nexus would completely destroy the ringside area as well as everyone around it and during this Bryan would choke out ring announcer Justin Roberts with his tie, this action would lead to Bryan getting fired due to the choke being deemed too violent. Bryan would return a couple of months later as the mystery man to join Team WWE against The Nexus as SummerSlam. 

Bryan would float around the mid card throughout the rest of 2010 and into 2011 and even won the United States title along the way. Bryan would win the 2011 SmackDown Money in the Bank briefcase which he would end up cashing in on The Big Show at TLC 2011 to win the World Heavyweight Championship despite saying earlier in the year that he was going to cash it in at WrestleMania XXVIII. The title win would turn Bryan into an arrogant heel who constantly found sneaky ways to retain his title against opponents much bigger than him like The Big Show and Mark Henry. During this run as World Heavyweight Champion Bryan would introduce the Yes Chant which would instantly get over with the fans and become a pivotal part of Bryan’s career. Bryan would lose the title to Sheamus at WrestleMania XXVIII in 8 seconds which didn’t sit well with the fans as by this time they had fallen in love with Bryan and to see him get this kind of treatment at WrestleMania felt very wrong, however, in retrospect it may have been the best thing to happen for Bryan as this was the real start of the Daniel Bryan underdog story that would culminate two years later.  In the fall of 2012, Bryan would form an unlikely team with Kane (at the time the two were feuding against each other and CM Punk in a love quadrangle over AJ Lee) after the two were ordered to go to anger management by AJ Lee who was the Raw General Manager at the time. The skits with Bryan and Kane in anger management were absolutely hilarious and was some of the best comedy that WWE had done in years. Not only were they great at playing off each other in these skits but they also had Dr. Shelby who was over the anger management meetings and was a great comedic addition to the story. Bryan and Kane would become known as Team Hell No and would be one of the most over acts WWE had. One of the most over moments involving Team Hell No didn’t even come during a match it came when they kept teasing they were going to hug it out like they had been taught by Dr. Shelby, but when one went in to hug the other would back away they would continue doing this for a few minutes and held the attention of the crowd the entire time, once they finally did hug they received a huge pop. The fact that just a simple hug got that kind of reaction just shows how over they were. Team Hell No would officially turn Bryan back to being a babyface, but in reality, he was still a babyface in the heart of the fans even when he was considered a heel. Team Hell No would team together until around mid-2013 when the Daniel Bryan underdog story really starts escalating. At SummerSlam 2013 Bryan would face off against John Cena and after one hell of a match Bryan would end up winning the WWE Championship, however, after the match Triple H who was the special referee turned on Bryan which lead to Randy Orton cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and winning the title. Over the next few months, Bryan would either keep getting screwed out of winning the title or he would win it and then the decision would be reversed the next night on Raw. By the end of the year Bryan didn’t just have a fanbase behind him he had a movement as you couldn’t find a wrestling fan that wasn’t pissed off about how he was being treated. There was no better example of this than on December 9, 2013 episode of Raw where they were having a big WWE & World Heavyweight Championship ceremony as the titles were going to be unified at TLC 2013 and you had a who’s who of former WWE & World Champions (Cena, Punk, Show, Hart, Henry, Michaels, Christian, Mysterio, etc) and the only one the fans were chanting for was Bryan and it wasn’t just a quick chant that faded after a minute it was quite lengthy and was holding up the show as you couldn’t hear whoever was talking. 

The frustration from the fans came to a head at the Royal Rumble as after giving Bray Wyatt the best singles match of his career, the fans were salivating for Bryan to enter the Royal Rumble match and win it, however, he wasn’t apart of the match and this led to poor Rey Mysterio being booed as the number 30 entrant as everyone wanted it to be Bryan. WWE decided that despite all the fans clearly being behind Bryan that the returning Batista was the best way to go and he was set to face Randy Orton at WrestleMania, but despite Batista returning after a four-year absence the fans didn’t give two shits about seeing that match. By this point, the fans were taking over shows with their chants for Bryan and eventually it finally worked and Bryan was worked into the main event angle, despite those in WWE saying they had him factored in that spot from the start which has been proven to be a load of BS when in 2020 Punk posted on Twitter a run sheet of what the matches were for WrestleMania XXX with 6 weeks until the show and it shows Bryan was scheduled to face Sheamus, this would be the third year (2011, 2012, & 2014) where Bryan was to wrestle Sheamus and I’m not sure why WWE was so obsessed with doing that match. It was eventually laid out where Bryan had to face Triple H in a match at WrestleMania and the winner of that would be added to the Orton vs Batista match, Bryan would win both matches with fantastic performances in both and would become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, which produced one of the loudest pops in WWE history and the sight of everyone in the Mercedes Benz Superdome doing the YES! Chant was something that gave you goosebumps and teary eyes to know that both Bryan and the fans hard work had paid off and he was finally living his dream. The moment of Bryan winning the title at WrestleMania was great, but unfortunately, that title reign would be cut short when a month after WrestleMania Bryan had to leave to have neck surgery and after some back and forth on whether he would be ready in time to defend the title he eventually had to relinquish it in June. Bryan still had not regained full strength in his arm months after the surgery and despite doctors wanting to do surgery once again and many saying he would never wrestle again Bryan underwent some Muscle Activation Techniques which regained the strength in the arm and in November 2014 we saw the return of the GOAT and by January he was back in the ring. Bryan would immediately become the fan-favorite once again and this time he was in the Royal Rumble, but was eliminated quite early in the match and once again fans didn’t give two shits about the winner which would be Roman Reigns and the heat this year was even worse than the year prior. Bryan would go on to become Intercontinental Champion after winning a ladder match at WrestleMania, which was ludacris that he was in a mid-card match after everything that happened last year and how him being over hadn’t changed at all, but by this point, WWE had moved on to trying to make Roman Reigns the next top star. Bryan wouldn’t get to enjoy his run as Intercontinental Champion for long as just like the previous year he would once again be sidelined with an injury. After a lot of rumors and some he said she said throughout the rest of 2015 Bryan would sadly announce his retirement in February 2016. The official reason for his retirement was that he had a lesion on the temporoparietal region of his brain which was caused by having many concussions, however, despite hearing this news, Bryan wasn’t ready to call it quits for good.  Bryan would go on a journey to find a way to get back into the ring as he went to many of the top medical professionals in the country and surprisingly he kept passing all these tests, but WWE’s doctor Joseph Maroon refused to clear him. Bryan would eventually ask for his release from WWE as he was going to try and seek work with another company such as ROH, New Japan, CMLL, etc but Vince refused to release Bryan. Bryan would do some work with WWE over the next couple of years as a commentator for the Cruiserweight Classic as well as being SmackDown General Manager, but while all this was happening Bryan hadn’t stopped his pursuit to get cleared as he still wanted to be in the ring doing what he loved. Bryan’s hard work, determination, and overall hard headedness finally paid off as after many evaluations Bryan would be cleared by independent neurosurgeons, neurologists, concussion experts, and most importantly WWE’s own Dr. Maroon and on March 20, it was announced that Bryan was cleared for in-ring action much to the delight of wrestling fans everywhere. Since his return in 2018 Bryan hasn’t slowed down at all. Bryan was finally able to get an extended run as WWE Champion as an eco-friendly obsessed heel character which he knocked out of the park. It’s hard to think of someone in wrestling that has had a more roller coaster ten year period than Bryan has had, but through the highs and the lows he always gave everything he had in him to entertain the fans and his passion for the wrestling business never deterred and that is why he is the GOAT.  The resurgence of the Lion and the magic Bullet that helped bring it back to life Going into the decade New Japan Pro Wrestling wasn’t anywhere close to being the dominant promotion in Japan like they had been in years prior or would become by the end of this decade as there wasn’t really any interest in the product and Hiroshi Tanahashi was pretty much the sole draw for the company and those around him weren’t setting the world on fire, even Shinsuke Nakamura who was the champion going into 2010 was far from being the Shinsuke Nakamura that we are familiar with today. It wouldn’t be until 2012 before the promotion finally started to climb back up the ladder of success, this escalation would begin when Kazuchika Okada made his return from excursion and right away started a decade long feud against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Okada and Tanahashi would trade the IWGP Championship back and forth and also headlined Wrestle Kingdom three times. In 2013 Gedo would become the head booker of NJPW and thanks to his booking NJPW would once again rise to become the dominant promotion that wrestlers wanted to work for in order to prove they were the very best and fans would go out of their way to watch as NJPW were once again putting out must-see matches.  Another major factor that helped put NJPW back in the spotlight was The Bullet Club, in fact, if Okada vs Tanahashi was the spark that lit the fire that helped NJPW shine so bright in the 2010s then Bullet Club was like pouring gasoline on that fire because there was no wrestling show you could go to whether it was in Japan or America where there wasn’t someone in the crowd wearing a Bullet Club shirt that’s how popular they would become. Not only did Bullet Club help New Japan, but in the long run the popularity of the stable and the members in it would end up changing the wrestling landscape in America in quite a monumental way.  The Bullet Club was formed in the spring of 2013 when Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) turned on his long time partner Ryusuke Taguchi and other NJPW babyfaces, he was helped in this attack by King Fale who would later be renamed Bad Luck Fale. A few weeks later the duo would be joined by both Karl Anderson and Tama Tonga in an attack on NJPW’s ace Hiroshi Tanahashi. These four men would be the founding members of Bullet Club which were an all gaijin (foreigner) stable that planned to wreak havoc on all the NJPW mainstays, the group would be compared to the NWO as they didn’t shy away from cheating in their matches or running in during matches causing disqualifications which were highly frowned upon by NJPW.  In October 2013 the Bullet Club would gain two very important members that would go on to be a pivotal part of the long term success of the faction, those two men would be The Young Bucks. At almost one year to the day of the formation of the Bullet Club, there would be a major shakeup as The Young Bucks would turn on Devitt during his blow-off match against Ryusuke Taguchi and the very next day Devitt would leave the promotion as he was on his way to WWE. With Devitt’s departure that left the Bullet Club without a leader, but this wouldn’t last long as AJ Styles (who debuted on the same show where Devitt was kicked out) became the new leader. Unlike Devitt, Styles was able to capture the IWGP Championship when he defeated Kazuchika Okada in May at the Wrestling Dontaku show when Yujiro Takahashi turned on Okada and joined the Bullet Club making him the faction’s sole non-gaijin member.  The Bullet Club was at the top of their game around this time and by the end of June, they would hold all four of the heavyweight titles, however, by October they would lose them all. In November they would gain their next big acquisition when Kenny Omega joined the Bullet Club and dominated the junior heavyweight division. Throughout 2015 the faction would continue to reign over the promotion and any time they would lose a title they would win it right back, this would include Styles becoming a 2x IWGP Champion when he beat Hiroshi Tanahashi in February at New Beginning in Osaka only to lose it once again just five months later to Kazuchika Okada at Dominion. At Wrestle Kingdom X Styles would be unsuccessful in trying to win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship from Shinsuke Nakamura in a highly praised and critically acclaimed match. After the show it was announced that Styles would be leaving NJPW and just like Devitt before him he was headed to the WWE, Gallows and Anderson would be joining AJ eventually but they stuck around for a few more months. The night after Wrestle Kingdom Styles was kicked out of the club and Kenny Omega would step up as the new leader of The Bullet Club, this would also mark the end of Omega’s time in the Junior Heavyweight division as he was ready to go after the top prize in the promotion, but first, he would start with going after Nakamura’s Intercontinental Title. While Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks were in the Bullet Club they would create their own group within the Bullet Club called The Elite, the reason for this was to set themselves apart from the rest of the Bullet Club who they felt were nothing but a parody of older factions like the NWO and DX and also Omega felt that after Styles, Anderson, & Gallows left, the faction wasn’t the same anymore. Throughout 2016 the Bullet Club would add quite a few more members to its ranks including Adam Cole, Adam “Hangman” Page, & Cody. In August the Bullet Club would make history once again when Kenny Omega became the first gaijin to ever win the G1 Climax tournament which would lead to him facing Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom XI in January 2017 which would end up being the first in a series of matches that were so good that Dave Meltzer had to break his five-star scale that he uses to rate matches as he gave their matches six stars and above. In May Adam Cole was kicked out of the group and replaced with Marty Scurll.  There would be a civil war within the Bullet Club with Cody and Kenny Omega competing to be the leader of the faction while the rest of the faction was left to choose a side, however, the Bucks were stuck in the middle as they were best friends with both Cody and Omega. The night after Wrestle Kingdom at the New Years Dash show Omega would run to save Kota Ibushi from a beating from the Bullet Club as he and Ibushi had ties back to when they both worked for the DDT promotion. Over the next few months, the Bullet Club members would face each other in matches while the Guerillas of Destiny and Bad Luck Fale decided to stay out of all the drama and keep to themselves. Cody and Omega would face each other in April at the ROH event Supercard of Honor XII which Cody won due to the Bucks accidentally costing Omega the match. Omega would finally defeat Kazuchika Okada to win the IWGP Championship in a ⅔ falls match at Dominion in June, after the match, the Young Bucks would solidify their allegiance with Omega and those three along with Ibushi would form a group called The Golden Elite. 

Omega would retain his title in a match against Cody at the G1 Special a month later. After the match The Guerillas of Destiny & Haku turned on The Elite and then would turn on other members of the Bullet Club when they came to the rescue, finally Cody came down and the Tongans gave him an open shot but instead Cody went after the Tongans which led to him getting laid out as well and with that the feud between Omega and Cody came to an end. The Tongans would declare themselves the real Bullet Club and over the next few months, Taiji Ishimori would join the club as would Gedo & Jado which was a total shock at they turned on their Chaos leader Kazuchika Okada after Gedo had been Okada’s, right-hand man. By the end of 2018 Cody, Omega, The Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, & Hangman Page removed themselves from the Bullet Club and were solely going by the brand name of The Elite.  The Elite would part ways from New Japan Pro Wrestling after Wrestle Kingdom 13 as they had much bigger things they needed to put their full attention into. With both Omega and Cody gone from the company, the Bullet Club would need a new leader. In December 2018 Tama Tonga would reveal that Jay White was the new leader of the Bullet Club and after a win over Okada at Wrestle Kingdom he would go on to win the IWGP Championship from Hiroshi Tanahashi at the New Beginning in Osaka show. While the Bullet Club continues to be a force in New Japan it seems like the hype and the popularity of the stable has died down quite a bit since the departures of The Elite members. One reason for the decline in popularity of the Bullet Club could be the fact that the stable had hit its peak and was starting to overstay their welcome, another reason could be due to the increase in popularity of Tetsuya Naito’s group Los Ingobernables de Japon, the third reason could just be the fact that the fans don’t invest in Jay White as the leader of the group like they did Devitt, Styles, & Omega. 

I don’t think it’s out of the question to say that the Bullet Club belongs on the list of top wrestling factions of all time with the likes of the Four Horsemen, the NWO, the Dangerous Alliance, & DX. The popularity of the Bullet Club was without a doubt a huge factor when it came to NJPW finally getting back on their feet as they were the perfect gaijin foils for the NJPW mainstays to feud against as they were the complete opposite of everything NJPW stood for as they didn’t shy away from cheating to pick up a win, yet at the same time they could tear down the house and put on fantastic matches with the likes of Okada, Tanahashi, Naito, etc when they needed to and that was how they finally started gaining the respect of the NJPW fans and gained immense popularity. If it were not for the Bullet Club (or The Elite to be more specific) the New Japan expansion into America probably wouldn’t have gone as smoothly as it certainly helped to have names that the American fans who didn’t watch New Japan were familiar with. 

While they are often compared to the NWO I think it’s safe to say that the Bullet Club has done more for the entire wrestling business than the NWO ever did as many former members of the Bullet Club have gone on to do even bigger things with the most notable being the guys in The Elite starting their own promotion, but I will talk more about that in Part 2. It’s also highly unlikely that guys like AJ Styles, Finn Balor, & Adam Cole would’ve been featured as highly as they have been in WWE had they not reached the level of popularity they did in the Bullet Club, in fact, WWE doesn’t shy away from mentioning their time in Japan and have even tried to capitalize on the Bullet Club fandom by putting AJ with Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows and calling them The Club (later changed to The OC) as well as renaming marketing Balor’s fanbase as “The Balor Club”, but neither attempt at capitalizing on these men’s past successes have caught on or have been as fruitful as they had hoped because everyone sees it as forced and nobody will ever be able to recreate the lightning in the bottle that was the Bullet Club when the stable was in its prime.  This concludes Part 1 of my look back at the 2010s but be on the lookout for Part 2 where I will be covering more of the biggest news stories in the world of wrestling. 

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13 Coachella Acts You Should See Other Than Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Eminem

Coachella 2018 is finally here!

Music lovers will be swarming to Indio, California, over the next two weekends to catch Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Eminem's highly anticipated headlining sets. And while their shows will surely be amazing, there's plenty of other bands and artists on the list that are also worth checking out.

So, whether you're heading to the desert to watch the star-studded lineup in person, or plan to live-stream the music festival at home, ET's got you covered. Here are 13 acts (aside from the biggest names) that we think you should rock out to and why!

CARDI B / MIGOS

Who they are: Though these two acts are performing separately, we have a good feeling we'll get a Coachella crossover! Cardi B (real name: Belcalis Almanzar) is a rapper from the Bronx borough of New York City, who first gained attention on Instagram and Vine for her "no filter" videos, later appearing on Love & Hip Hop: New York before her rap career took off in 2017. Migos is a hip-hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, who formed together in 2009. The group is made up of rappers Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, who is engaged to Cardi B.

Why you should see their sets: For months, fans have been speculating that Cardi B was pregnant with her and Offset's first child, and she finally confirmed it last weekend by debuting her baby bump on Saturday Night Live. Aside from getting a peek at her burgeoning belly, expect a fire show from the 25-year-old singer, as she just dropped her no-holds-barred debut album, Invasion of Privacy, earlier this month. We're expecting Migos' set to be equally lit, with fans dancing along to their most popular tracks, like "Versace," "Stir Fry" and "Bad and Boujee."

Songs to listen to: If you're just getting introduced to Cardi B, check out "Bodak Yellow" and "Bartier Cardi," two of the first tracks that made her a household name. Also be sure to listen to "Thru Your Phone" and "I Do" off her new album, as well as "MotorSport" and Drip," which she and Migos collaborated on and will most likely perform together during Coachella.

Potential surprise guests: While there's no guarantee who will show up during Cardi B and Migos' Sunday sets, we'd personally love to see Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, G-Eazy, Lil Uzi Vert, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled or Justin Bieber, who have all recorded tracks with the rappers over the past few years.

SZA

Who she is: One of the hottest names in R&B and hip-hop at the moment, SZA, aka Solána Imani Rowe, has been making music since 2012, but came on the scene in a major way last year, with her breakthrough album, Ctrl. She's since been unstoppable, with appearances on the Black Panther soundtrack and Cardi B's debut album.

Why you should check out her set: Apart from the singalong hits, SZA's unique, soulful voice and minimalist, chillwave-inspired beats is the perfect way to round out your Friday night in the desert.

Songs to listen to: "Love Galore," "Drew Barrymore" and "All the Stars" will make you instantly fall in love with the 27-year-old singer.

Potential special guests: SZA has collaborated with everyone from Calvin Harris to Travis Scott to Maroon 5, but two of the biggest names that could turn up on her Coachella stage are Kendrick Lamar, to perform their Black Panther single, "All the Stars," and Cardi B, for their newly released Invasion of Privacy duet, "I Do."

 BLEACHERS

Who they are: After successful runs in Steel Train and Fun., in-demand pop producer Jack Antonoff launched his new solo venture, Bleachers, in 2014. If a John Hughes movie were an album, it would sound like Bleachers’ debut, Strange Desire, and it only got better from there.

Why you should check out their set: With the Coachella lineup leaning heavy on hip-hop this year, the Bleachers' set should be a perfect opportunity for a fun, poppy dance break.

Songs to listen to: If you're checking out Bleachers for the first time, definitely take a listen to "Don't Take the Money," "I Wanna Get Better" and "I Miss Those Days" before their performance kicks off.

Potential special guests: It's always a safe bet to guess Lorde might turn up at a Bleachers show (or vice versa -- the two are close friends!), but if we're going for a long shot, maybe Taylor Swift could show up to perform one of her Antonoff-produced hits? Hey, a festivalgoer can dream!

ST. VINCENT

Who she is: One of the most exciting acts in indie rock, who has been putting in work for over a decade, St. Vincent (real name: Annie Clark) spent her formative years as an artist in Sufjan Stevens' touring band, breaking out on her own in 2006. All of her five solo albums have been critically acclaimed, including her most recent, 2017’s Masseduction.

Why you should see her set: Expect an exciting set from the multi-instrumentalist, who, for fans of impressive guitar work, has also been known to shred. Her sets, not unlike her songs, tend to build in energy, from a simple beat to a full-on sonic explosion, meaning this one will likely reward those who commit for the whole concert.

Songs to listen to: "Cruel," off of 2011's Strange Mercy is a classic, but also check out her Masseduction singles, like "Los Ageless" and "New York," to get familiar with her newer work. 

Potential surprise guests: Sufjan is an obvious possibility, as well as David Byrne. Not only is he on the lineup himself, but he released a collaborative album with St. Vincent back in 2012.

 ALISON WONDERLAND

Who she is: Alexandra Sholler, best known by her punny stage name of Alison Wonderland, is an Australian EDM DJ, producer and singer. Before hitting the scene with her debut album, Run, in 2015, Alison played bass guitar in a few local indie rock bands, and was a classically trained cellist who performed with the Sydney Youth Opera (you can hear her cello skills on songs like "Good Enough" and "Space.")

Why you should see her set: Between her edgy style, raw vocals, insanely catchy remixes, quirky dancing and the fact that she's the highest-billed female DJ in the history of Coachella, this set is going to be rad! Plus, the 31-year-old just released her sophomore album, Awake, over the weekend, and in less than two days, it already garnered two million streams on Spotify.

Songs to listen to: If her remix of Dua Lipa's "New Rules" doesn't sell you, "Happy Place" and "Easy" will definitely send you down a magical Alison Wonderland rabbit hole.

Potential surprise guests: While she is truly entertaining enough on her own, we wouldn't be surprised if she invited one of her Awake collaborators, like BLESSUS, Trippie Redd or Buddy, to the stage.  

MIGUEL

Who he is: Born Miguel Jontel Pimentel, the soulful singer and songwriter first cast his spell on the music scene with his R&B love song, "Adorn," for which he won his first GRAMMY in 2013. He most recently released his third full-length album, War & Leisure, and his vocals were featured on Disney's Coco soundtrack. He performed the film's Oscar-winning song, "Remember Me (Dúo)," at this year's Academy Awards.

Why you should see his set: Fresh off his sexy War & Leisure tour, Coachella is the perfect setting for this Los Angeles native's sultry voice and effortless cool vibes. But don't let his falsetto, hip-thrusting, baby-making music fool you -- Miguel knows how to throw a party onstage!

Songs to listen to: "Sky Walker," "Pineapple Skies" and "I Told You So" are just a few jams that will get you jiving with the 32-year-old singer.

Potential special guests: Miguel's solo records speak for themselves, but it's his features and collaborations that showcase just how versatile his voice is. He's appeared on Janelle Monae's "Primetime," Dua Lipa's "Lost in Your Light," and most recently, Kygo's "Remind Me to Forget." And with the latter also on the Coachella lineup this year, expect the two to share the stage at some point this weekend.

 FIRST AID KIT

Who they are: A Swedish folk duo consisting of sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg, who, like many modern-day breakouts, gained notoriety with a viral YouTube cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song." In the near decade since that video was released, First Aid Kid has boasted an international following and put out three studio albums, including their latest, Ruins, earlier this year.

Why you should see their set: In some ways, the Söderberg sisters evoke Simon & Garfunkel with their transfixing harmonies, lending itself to singing along, swaying about in the crowd or even hanging back and taking in the melodies while lying in the grass. First Aid Kit is a must-see for any listeners who really go for harmonization, as well as rich, layered folk instrumentation.

Songs to listen to: "My Silver Lining" is their most popular song, and also a great representation of what they do as a duo. Also consider "It’s a Shame" and "Fireworks," both off their newest album, to determine if this act is one to add to your Coachella schedule.

Potential surprise guests: This is a tough one, because the draw of Klara and Johanna is, well, Klara and Johanna! That said, Fleet Foxes will also be at the festival, the band First Aid Kit paid tribute to in the aforementioned viral cover. If they welcome them onstage, or vice versa, it would definitely be an appearance we’d be lucky to see.

 MØ

Who she is: MØ is a Danish singer, songwriter and electropop producer. In 2015, she co-wrote Major Lazer and DJ Snake's massive hit, "Lean On," which, at the time, exploded to be Spotify’s most-streamed song ever (it has since been overtaken by Drake's "One Dance").

Why you should see her set: She's been compared to other electropop powerhouses, like Grimes and Twin Shadow, and has amassed a huge following, thanks in part to some amazing features and collaborations. MØ, surprised the crowd at last year's Coachella during Major Lazer's set, but this year, the 29-year-old is ready to take center stage all on her own. Plus, she has some sweet dance moves.

Songs to listen to: "When I Was Young," "Don't Leave" and "Final Song" are solid tracks that will turn you into a MØ fan in no time.

Potential special guests: Over the last three years, MØ has been the go-to pop singer for hits like "Don’t Leave" with Snakehips and "Porsche" with Charli XCX, so either artist could easily join her onstage, especially since the former is also on the Coachella bill. We also wouldn't be surprised if her frequent collaborator, Diplo, made a special appearance during her set.   

GRETA VAN FLEET

Who they are: Made up of brothers Josh, Jake and Sam Kiszka, with their friend, Danny Wagner, Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band that hails from Frankenmuth, Michigan. They formed the group in 2012, but they easily could have fit in with the classic rock bands of the '70s.

Why you should see them: If you need a break from all the hip-hop, R&B and electronic dance music, do yourself a favor and get familiar with these rising rock stars, whose sound is heavily influenced by the work of Led Zeppelin. (Seriously, if you close your eyes while listening to their music for the first time, you would think it was Robert Plant on vocals -- that would be Josh). Their throwback, blues-rock vibe is a refreshing set for Coachella attendees looking to just chill out for a bit on Friday, while discovering an awesome band that's inventing old-school rock.

Songs to listen to: "Highway Tune" was the quartet's debut single, and the first one they ever wrote and recorded together. It hit No. 1 on mainstream rock radio, and was even featured on the Showtime show Shameless. If you're digging that track, definitely also check out "Safari Song" and "Flower Power" from their eight-song EP, From the Fires.

Potential surprise guests: In an interview with Billboard last August, Josh said that while they still "prefer all of the old stuff," there are a few bands and artists from this era that they dig -- Fleet Foxes and Vance Joy, who are both on this year's lineup. Although Greta Van Fleet hasn't officially collaborated on any tracks with either of these acts, we'd love to see them rock out together at the festival.   

KALI UCHIS

Who she is: Kali Uchis is a neo-soul, R&B singer who hails from Pereira, Colombia, and just released a severely dope debut album, Isolation.

Why you should see her set: What the 24-year-old singer brings as an artist is an ability to be simultaneously free-associative in her singing and unbelievably catchy. Plus, her songs are set to up-tempo beats that evoke a mix of a little hip-hop and indie pop. So, whether you're ready to low-key jam out or just need to chill out for a bit, she's a great artist to watch. Coachella hasn’t dropped the full set times just yet, but she seems like a perfect fit for sunset at the Outdoor Stage or a dreamy set in one of the tents.

Songs to listen to: Familiarize yourself with Kali Uchis by listening to "Tyrant," "After the Storm" and "In My Dreams" off her new album, and "Loner" for a good throwback track.

Potential surprise guests: Tyler, the Creator is all but guaranteed, as he has produced for Uchis frequently, and is featured on "After the Storm." Other likely acts include Jorja Smith, Daniel Caesar and Vince Staples. Additionally, it would be a long shot, but she did collaborate with Snoop Dogg early in her career. He’s all booked up during weekend two of the festival, but the iconic rapper would certainly be a treat for weekend one attendees.

 DANIEL CAESAR

Who he is: Canadian singer-songwriter Ashton Simmonds, better known as Daniel Caesar, is one of the fresh names to know in the world of R&B. His debut EP, Praise Break, was critically acclaimed, but it was his breakthrough 2016 single, "Get You," and follow-up album, Freudian, that catapulted him onto the big stage.

Why you should check out his set: A nice, low-key lull in the hectic first day of the festival, Caesar’s swooning guitar and bluesy vocals will be perfect for a sunset set in the desert.

Songs to listen to: Do yourself a favor and press play on "Get You," "We Find Love" and "Best Part." You're welcome.

Potential special guests: It wouldn't be a surprise to see fellow Coachella performer Kali Uchis show up on Caesar's stage, thanks to their "Get You" collab. If we're taking a shot in the dark, though, maybe Chance the Rapper shows up to perform "First World Problems," the track the pair debuted on The Late Show last fall. It's Coachella, after all. Anything can happen!

TANK AND THE BANGAS

Who they are: Tank and the Bangas are a funk/soul outfit from New Orleans, founded and fronted by slam poet Tarriona "Tank" Ball, who surrounded herself with talented musicians in order to craft a sound unlike any other. The group formed in 2011, and gained widespread recognition last year after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest.

Why you should check out their set: If the music doesn't get you, Ball's powerful words will. Watching the group's Tiny Desk performance will have any viewer eager to see them on a much larger stage, and their Friday set should be the perfect opportunity to get you into the Coachella groove.

Songs you need to check out: While we love them all, "Quick," "Rollercoasters" and "Oh Heart" are a few of our favorites.

Potential special guests: None. Tank and her crew will be more than enough entertainment! 

 For more Coachella news, keep it locked right here on ETonline, as we'll be heading to the desert this weekend to bring you all the best music moments from the highly anticipated festival! Also join us live on Facebook and YouTube on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT for a special Coachella version of Daily Denny. We'll be breaking down even more artists to watch, so stay tuned!

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[footyplusau]

AFL competition framework is better than ever. So can we stop the fiddling for five minutes?

If your definition of a great competition is every team having at least some sort of chance of beating any other team on a given day, then AFL football has never been in as good a shape as right now.

Take a look at the ladder. Two of the bottom three spots are currently filled by two of the three most successful sides of the past decade. The other has played finals the past three years and twice been within one win of a grand final berth.

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Cats slay Saints in final quarter

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FootyFix: Can the Tiges keep it up?

FootyFix: Can the Tiges keep it up?

Rohan Connolly previews all the footy action ahead of round 5 in the AFL.

Cats slay Saints in final quarter

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Cats slay Saints in final quarter

Cats slay Saints in final quarter

Geelong remain undefeated after claiming a 126-88 win over a spirited St Kilda outfit at Etihad Stadium.

Tuohy tries a different tactic

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Tuohy tries a different tactic

Tuohy tries a different tactic

Zac Tuohy tried something just a bit different as Tim Membreylined up a set shot.

AFL hit with another racist incident

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AFL hit with another racist incident

AFL hit with another racist incident

Footage shows a man launching a vile tirade at Saturday’s Brisbane Lions-Western Bulldogs game.

Heath Shaw’s insensitive sledge

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Heath Shaw’s insensitive sledge

Heath Shaw’s insensitive sledge

Giant Heath Shaw has come under fire and since apologised after calling Swan Tom Papley a ‘f***ing retard’.

Dockers stun Kangaroos at the death

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Dockers stun Kangaroos at the death

Dockers stun Kangaroos at the death

Fremantle have claimed their third consecutive win, defeating North Melbourne 67-62 in Perth in a thriller that went down to the wire.

Outstanding Giants pour more misery on Swans

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Outstanding Giants pour more misery on …

Outstanding Giants pour more misery on Swans

Buddy Franklin’s 800th career goal was little consolation for the Swans as GWS condemned their cross-town rivals to a fifth straight loss.

Dockers’ last minute win

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Dockers’ last minute win

Dockers’ last minute win

Having trailed since the first quarter the Dockers left it until the very last minute to make their push.

FootyFix: Can the Tiges keep it up?

Rohan Connolly previews all the footy action ahead of round 5 in the AFL.

Brisbane and Carlton, tipped almost universally this season to finish 17th and 18th, have at least won a game. And on Saturday, the Lions led the reigning premier by 38 points shortly before half-time, a Western Bulldogs outfit which came from seventh after the regular season to win a flag.

If that doesn’t signify evenness and unpredictability, what does? As for exciting games, we’re hardly short of them are we? So what’s with this incessant need to tinker, not just with laws of the game, but the very framework of an AFL competition that is working just fine?

The Bulldogs won the grand final from seventh place last year. Photo: AFL Media/Getty Images

We’ve become used to the annual night grand final kite-flying exercise. Last year there was a concerted campaign to offer Brisbane and potentially other clubs more assistance because they hadn’t been in the finals for – shock, horror – a few seasons.

And now we’re getting more impromptu “suck it and see” polling with the concept of a 17-5 fixture. Well, I’m sick to death of it. And I’m not the only one.

The 17-5 fixture concept is one of AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan’s favourite kites. And he’s got plenty of helpers (usually connected to TV networks) all too ready to take it out for a run seemingly every few weeks.

In the latest breathless dispatches, we’re told three groups of six teams would be ruled off after every team had played each other once, the top two “conferences” fighting out a top eight berth, but even more stupidly, a bottom-six side potentially given a finals chance as well as points to use in the next national draft.

Lions players look dejected after losing the round five AFL match against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday. Photo: Getty Images

The 17-5 model is necessary, apparently, because there’s not enough incentive for teams stuck in the bottom six after 17 rounds. Well, here’s one. Try winning more of your first 17 games. If you don’t, why on earth should you deserve a chance for a “wildcard” finals spot or whatever US sport-inspired jargon seems sexy right now?

Apparently, the fact that last year none of Carlton, Brisbane, Richmond, Fremantle or Gold Coast won more than one of their last five games highlights the need for a “new solution”. In fact, perhaps all it highlighted was that they just weren’t very good teams.

We play 198 home and away games a season now. News flash. Not all of them are going to be gripping, nor have finals spots riding on them. And even with close to 200 games to churn through, I’ll wager there’s a higher percentage that indeed do have something riding on them than the 132 we played in a 12-team competition until 30 years ago.

A solution to tanking? It’s talk that had some credence when teams stood to earn an extra priority draft pick as well as one for finishing at the bottom of the ladder. But the AFL dispensed with institutionalised priority picks five years ago.

Now that the only gap between clubs’ draft hands is determined by ladder positions, is the difference between draft selection No.1 as opposed to Nos. 2-3-4-5-6 on a 40-man playing list really enough to have AFL clubs even considering deliberately dropping games? Give me a break.

As for adding excitement? So the top six spend the last five rounds playing each other. Given they’re the best-performed teams to date, it’s more than likely they lock horns at least once again, if not more, during the finals proper. Is that more exciting? Or more a case of familiarity breeding if not contempt, boredom.

And speaking of incentives, if we adopted the 17-5 model, would clubs, knowing they could still potentially play finals even were they 13th on the ladder with just five games left, still hit the regular season as hard?

What would be the point if you only had to be somewhere vaguely beyond the bottom five to still have a chance in September? You could spell some players for half a season and have them hit a physical peak for two months only.

We could effectively call the first 17 rounds pre-season, scrap the home and away tag and have a nine-week finals series. See how ridiculous this gets?

Perhaps I’m getting old and cranky. But the goldfish memories, driving of agendas and constant refusal to consider history as context infecting football more and more drives me batty. The 17-5 fixture and the rationale for its necessity are just another example.

But I’m also not too old and wedded to the past to realise that right now, we have a framework of an AFL competition that is the best it’s ever been. The model isn’t broken. It doesn’t need fixing. How about we leave it the bloody hell alone for at least five minutes?

AND WHILE I’M AT IT

Up for grabs: North were unlucky to lose out in another close contest. Photo: Paul Kane

So how are North Melbourne going? Depends who you ask. My suggestion on Twitter on Saturday evening that the Roos had been stiff this season certainly drew plenty of scorn.

There was the usual “chokers” label regularly applied indiscriminately to any team which loses by a kick after leading. And in North’s case, the increasingly regular “Brad Scott must go” lines.

I wonder, though, how many people throwing those tags around expected much more from the Roos this season than they’re getting? Not many, I would have thought. And if those that did were unrealistic to expect more, I reckon they’re also being a bit harsh now.

This is a team that has calculatedly taken the rebuilding route, with the departures of five veterans at the end of last year shedding close to 1600 games worth of collective experience to do so. This year was never going to be smooth sailing, most people consigning the Roos to the bottom four, where with a 0-5 scoreline now, they’re every chance to wind up.

The question now is whether the focus, after three losses by under a kick, should be on the five-goal leads North have given up each time, or the effort in getting to those winning positions. I think it’s the latter.

Fremantle and North Melbourne line up for ANZAC ceremonies at Domain Stadium. Photo: Daniel Carson/AFL Media

Two of the defeats have been to a reigning premier and a preliminary finalist of last season, both in pretty decent form again. The other, on Saturday, was against a clearly revitalised Fremantle in Perth, the most difficult of road trips, where North have won just twice in their last dozen appearances.

It’s true the Roos under Scott have issues in the tight finish. In his eighth season as coach, North have lost 21 games decided by single figures, and won only nine. Then again, how many expected them to be that close to those three teams this season anyway?

The effort can’t be questioned. And the gains have been considerable, the Roos already using 29 players and handing six their AFL debuts, all of whom have had some sort of impact when given a chance.

Senior recruits Nathan Hrovat and Marley Williams have added plenty, Trent Dumont has improved out of sight, Mason Wood is now back in the mix, and while senior types Jarrad Waite and Ben Jacobs are still several weeks away, there’s more good kids ready to have a crack in Ryan Clarke, Sam Durdin and Corey Wagner.

If there’s one thing Scott should look at harder now, it’s playing even more of their like and having the courage to drop some under-performing veterans. But this is a team playing much, much better than a 0-5 win-loss record would indicate. And while it’s easy to parrot lines like you’re only as good as the scoreboard, in North’s case right now, that is patently untrue.

The post AFL competition framework is better than ever. So can we stop the fiddling for five minutes? appeared first on Footy Plus.

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13 Coachella Acts You Should See Other Than Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Eminem

Coachella 2018 is finally here!

Music lovers will be swarming to Indio, California, over the next two weekends to catch Beyoncé, The Weeknd and Eminem's highly anticipated headlining sets. And while their shows will surely be amazing, there's plenty of other bands and artists on the list that are also worth checking out.

So, whether you're heading to the desert to watch the star-studded lineup in person, or plan to live-stream the music festival at home, ET's got you covered. Here are 13 acts (aside from the biggest names) that we think you should rock out to and why!

CARDI B / MIGOS

Who they are: Though these two acts are performing separately, we have a good feeling we'll get a Coachella crossover! Cardi B (real name: Belcalis Almanzar) is a rapper from the Bronx borough of New York City, who first gained attention on Instagram and Vine for her "no filter" videos, later appearing on Love & Hip Hop: New York before her rap career took off in 2017. Migos is a hip-hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, who formed together in 2009. The group is made up of rappers Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, who is engaged to Cardi B.

Why you should see their sets: For months, fans have been speculating that Cardi B was pregnant with her and Offset's first child, and she finally confirmed it last weekend by debuting her baby bump on Saturday Night Live. Aside from getting a peek at her burgeoning belly, expect a fire show from the 25-year-old singer, as she just dropped her no-holds-barred debut album, Invasion of Privacy, earlier this month. We're expecting Migos' set to be equally lit, with fans dancing along to their most popular tracks, like "Versace," "Stir Fry" and "Bad and Boujee."

Songs to listen to: If you're just getting introduced to Cardi B, check out "Bodak Yellow" and "Bartier Cardi," two of the first tracks that made her a household name. Also be sure to listen to "Thru Your Phone" and "I Do" off her new album, as well as "MotorSport" and Drip," which she and Migos collaborated on and will most likely perform together during Coachella.

Potential surprise guests: While there's no guarantee who will show up during Cardi B and Migos' Sunday sets, we'd personally love to see Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, G-Eazy, Lil Uzi Vert, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled or Justin Bieber, who have all recorded tracks with the rappers over the past few years.

SZA

Who she is: One of the hottest names in R&B and hip-hop at the moment, SZA, aka Solána Imani Rowe, has been making music since 2012, but came on the scene in a major way last year, with her breakthrough album, Ctrl. She's since been unstoppable, with appearances on the Black Panther soundtrack and Cardi B's debut album.

Why you should check out her set: Apart from the singalong hits, SZA's unique, soulful voice and minimalist, chillwave-inspired beats is the perfect way to round out your Friday night in the desert.

Songs to listen to: "Love Galore," "Drew Barrymore" and "All the Stars" will make you instantly fall in love with the 27-year-old singer.

Potential special guests: SZA has collaborated with everyone from Calvin Harris to Travis Scott to Maroon 5, but two of the biggest names that could turn up on her Coachella stage are Kendrick Lamar, to perform their Black Panther single, "All the Stars," and Cardi B, for their newly released Invasion of Privacy duet, "I Do."

 BLEACHERS

Who they are: After successful runs in Steel Train and Fun., in-demand pop producer Jack Antonoff launched his new solo venture, Bleachers, in 2014. If a John Hughes movie were an album, it would sound like Bleachers’ debut, Strange Desire, and it only got better from there.

Why you should check out their set: With the Coachella lineup leaning heavy on hip-hop this year, the Bleachers' set should be a perfect opportunity for a fun, poppy dance break.

Songs to listen to: If you're checking out Bleachers for the first time, definitely take a listen to "Don't Take the Money," "I Wanna Get Better" and "I Miss Those Days" before their performance kicks off.

Potential special guests: It's always a safe bet to guess Lorde might turn up at a Bleachers show (or vice versa -- the two are close friends!), but if we're going for a long shot, maybe Taylor Swift could show up to perform one of her Antonoff-produced hits? Hey, a festivalgoer can dream!

ST. VINCENT

Who she is: One of the most exciting acts in indie rock, who has been putting in work for over a decade, St. Vincent (real name: Annie Clark) spent her formative years as an artist in Sufjan Stevens' touring band, breaking out on her own in 2006. All of her five solo albums have been critically acclaimed, including her most recent, 2017’s Masseduction.

Why you should see her set: Expect an exciting set from the multi-instrumentalist, who, for fans of impressive guitar work, has also been known to shred. Her sets, not unlike her songs, tend to build in energy, from a simple beat to a full-on sonic explosion, meaning this one will likely reward those who commit for the whole concert.

Songs to listen to: "Cruel," off of 2011's Strange Mercy is a classic, but also check out her Masseduction singles, like "Los Ageless" and "New York," to get familiar with her newer work. 

Potential surprise guests: Sufjan is an obvious possibility, as well as David Byrne. Not only is he on the lineup himself, but he released a collaborative album with St. Vincent back in 2012.

 ALISON WONDERLAND

Who she is: Alexandra Sholler, best known by her punny stage name of Alison Wonderland, is an Australian EDM DJ, producer and singer. Before hitting the scene with her debut album, Run, in 2015, Alison played bass guitar in a few local indie rock bands, and was a classically trained cellist who performed with the Sydney Youth Opera (you can hear her cello skills on songs like "Good Enough" and "Space.")

Why you should see her set: Between her edgy style, raw vocals, insanely catchy remixes, quirky dancing and the fact that she's the highest-billed female DJ in the history of Coachella, this set is going to be rad! Plus, the 31-year-old just released her sophomore album, Awake, over the weekend, and in less than two days, it already garnered two million streams on Spotify.

Songs to listen to: If her remix of Dua Lipa's "New Rules" doesn't sell you, "Happy Place" and "Easy" will definitely send you down a magical Alison Wonderland rabbit hole.

Potential surprise guests: While she is truly entertaining enough on her own, we wouldn't be surprised if she invited one of her Awake collaborators, like BLESSUS, Trippie Redd or Buddy, to the stage.  

MIGUEL

Who he is: Born Miguel Jontel Pimentel, the soulful singer and songwriter first cast his spell on the music scene with his R&B love song, "Adorn," for which he won his first GRAMMY in 2013. He most recently released his third full-length album, War & Leisure, and his vocals were featured on Disney's Coco soundtrack. He performed the film's Oscar-winning song, "Remember Me (Dúo)," at this year's Academy Awards.

Why you should see his set: Fresh off his sexy War & Leisure tour, Coachella is the perfect setting for this Los Angeles native's sultry voice and effortless cool vibes. But don't let his falsetto, hip-thrusting, baby-making music fool you -- Miguel knows how to throw a party onstage!

Songs to listen to: "Sky Walker," "Pineapple Skies" and "I Told You So" are just a few jams that will get you jiving with the 32-year-old singer.

Potential special guests: Miguel's solo records speak for themselves, but it's his features and collaborations that showcase just how versatile his voice is. He's appeared on Janelle Monae's "Primetime," Dua Lipa's "Lost in Your Light," and most recently, Kygo's "Remind Me to Forget." And with the latter also on the Coachella lineup this year, expect the two to share the stage at some point this weekend.

 FIRST AID KIT

Who they are: A Swedish folk duo consisting of sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg, who, like many modern-day breakouts, gained notoriety with a viral YouTube cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song." In the near decade since that video was released, First Aid Kid has boasted an international following and put out three studio albums, including their latest, Ruins, earlier this year.

Why you should see their set: In some ways, the Söderberg sisters evoke Simon & Garfunkel with their transfixing harmonies, lending itself to singing along, swaying about in the crowd or even hanging back and taking in the melodies while lying in the grass. First Aid Kit is a must-see for any listeners who really go for harmonization, as well as rich, layered folk instrumentation.

Songs to listen to: "My Silver Lining" is their most popular song, and also a great representation of what they do as a duo. Also consider "It’s a Shame" and "Fireworks," both off their newest album, to determine if this act is one to add to your Coachella schedule.

Potential surprise guests: This is a tough one, because the draw of Klara and Johanna is, well, Klara and Johanna! That said, Fleet Foxes will also be at the festival, the band First Aid Kit paid tribute to in the aforementioned viral cover. If they welcome them onstage, or vice versa, it would definitely be an appearance we’d be lucky to see.

 MØ

Who she is: MØ is a Danish singer, songwriter and electropop producer. In 2015, she co-wrote Major Lazer and DJ Snake's massive hit, "Lean On," which, at the time, exploded to be Spotify’s most-streamed song ever (it has since been overtaken by Drake's "One Dance").

Why you should see her set: She's been compared to other electropop powerhouses, like Grimes and Twin Shadow, and has amassed a huge following, thanks in part to some amazing features and collaborations. MØ, surprised the crowd at last year's Coachella during Major Lazer's set, but this year, the 29-year-old is ready to take center stage all on her own. Plus, she has some sweet dance moves.

Songs to listen to: "When I Was Young," "Don't Leave" and "Final Song" are solid tracks that will turn you into a MØ fan in no time.

Potential special guests: Over the last three years, MØ has been the go-to pop singer for hits like "Don’t Leave" with Snakehips and "Porsche" with Charli XCX, so either artist could easily join her onstage, especially since the former is also on the Coachella bill. We also wouldn't be surprised if her frequent collaborator, Diplo, made a special appearance during her set.   

GRETA VAN FLEET

Who they are: Made up of brothers Josh, Jake and Sam Kiszka, with their friend, Danny Wagner, Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band that hails from Frankenmuth, Michigan. They formed the group in 2012, but they easily could have fit in with the classic rock bands of the '70s.

Why you should see them: If you need a break from all the hip-hop, R&B and electronic dance music, do yourself a favor and get familiar with these rising rock stars, whose sound is heavily influenced by the work of Led Zeppelin. (Seriously, if you close your eyes while listening to their music for the first time, you would think it was Robert Plant on vocals -- that would be Josh). Their throwback, blues-rock vibe is a refreshing set for Coachella attendees looking to just chill out for a bit on Friday, while discovering an awesome band that's inventing old-school rock.

Songs to listen to: "Highway Tune" was the quartet's debut single, and the first one they ever wrote and recorded together. It hit No. 1 on mainstream rock radio, and was even featured on the Showtime show Shameless. If you're digging that track, definitely also check out "Safari Song" and "Flower Power" from their eight-song EP, From the Fires.

Potential surprise guests: In an interview with Billboard last August, Josh said that while they still "prefer all of the old stuff," there are a few bands and artists from this era that they dig -- Fleet Foxes and Vance Joy, who are both on this year's lineup. Although Greta Van Fleet hasn't officially collaborated on any tracks with either of these acts, we'd love to see them rock out together at the festival.   

KALI UCHIS

Who she is: Kali Uchis is a neo-soul, R&B singer who hails from Pereira, Colombia, and just released a severely dope debut album, Isolation.

Why you should see her set: What the 24-year-old singer brings as an artist is an ability to be simultaneously free-associative in her singing and unbelievably catchy. Plus, her songs are set to up-tempo beats that evoke a mix of a little hip-hop and indie pop. So, whether you're ready to low-key jam out or just need to chill out for a bit, she's a great artist to watch. Coachella hasn’t dropped the full set times just yet, but she seems like a perfect fit for sunset at the Outdoor Stage or a dreamy set in one of the tents.

Songs to listen to: Familiarize yourself with Kali Uchis by listening to "Tyrant," "After the Storm" and "In My Dreams" off her new album, and "Loner" for a good throwback track.

Potential surprise guests: Tyler, the Creator is all but guaranteed, as he has produced for Uchis frequently, and is featured on "After the Storm." Other likely acts include Jorja Smith, Daniel Caesar and Vince Staples. Additionally, it would be a long shot, but she did collaborate with Snoop Dogg early in her career. He’s all booked up during weekend two of the festival, but the iconic rapper would certainly be a treat for weekend one attendees.

 DANIEL CAESAR

Who he is: Canadian singer-songwriter Ashton Simmonds, better known as Daniel Caesar, is one of the fresh names to know in the world of R&B. His debut EP, Praise Break, was critically acclaimed, but it was his breakthrough 2016 single, "Get You," and follow-up album, Freudian, that catapulted him onto the big stage.

Why you should check out his set: A nice, low-key lull in the hectic first day of the festival, Caesar’s swooning guitar and bluesy vocals will be perfect for a sunset set in the desert.

Songs to listen to: Do yourself a favor and press play on "Get You," "We Find Love" and "Best Part." You're welcome.

Potential special guests: It wouldn't be a surprise to see fellow Coachella performer Kali Uchis show up on Caesar's stage, thanks to their "Get You" collab. If we're taking a shot in the dark, though, maybe Chance the Rapper shows up to perform "First World Problems," the track the pair debuted on The Late Show last fall. It's Coachella, after all. Anything can happen!

TANK AND THE BANGAS

Who they are: Tank and the Bangas are a funk/soul outfit from New Orleans, founded and fronted by slam poet Tarriona "Tank" Ball, who surrounded herself with talented musicians in order to craft a sound unlike any other. The group formed in 2011, and gained widespread recognition last year after winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest.

Why you should check out their set: If the music doesn't get you, Ball's powerful words will. Watching the group's Tiny Desk performance will have any viewer eager to see them on a much larger stage, and their Friday set should be the perfect opportunity to get you into the Coachella groove.

Songs you need to check out: While we love them all, "Quick," "Rollercoasters" and "Oh Heart" are a few of our favorites.

Potential special guests: None. Tank and her crew will be more than enough entertainment! 

 For more Coachella news, keep it locked right here on ETonline, as we'll be heading to the desert this weekend to bring you all the best music moments from the highly anticipated festival! Also join us live on Facebook and YouTube on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT for a special Coachella version of Daily Denny. We'll be breaking down even more artists to watch, so stay tuned!

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